Washing machine



Feb. .17, 1942. R. B. BUKOLT WSHING MACHINE Filed Nov. ff, 1939 uml l Homan ,Blau/fo# wir-NESS' member which will so move the invention resides in vterhereinaiter described and claimed, descrip- -trated at M. The .upper Patented Feb. 17, I.

UNITED I STATES PATENT OFFICE l I 'wasnnzrcnma l Roman B. Bnkolt, Stevens Point, Wis.

Application November 7, 1939, Serial No. 303,263

' 2 ClaimL (Cl. 68-151) They invention relates -to improvements in washing machines of the general type in which an agitator is mounted foroscillation on a vertical axis within a. tub, andV it aims to provide a new and improved agitator or clothes rubbing the wash water as to. effectively circulate'the same and cause repeated passage thereof through washed, at the same time gently pressing the articles against perforated rubbing surfaces, creating suction on the water to draw it through thefabric, and insuring light rubbing of the ardirt and thoroughly rinsing same from the fabric.

With the foregoing and minor objects in view,

the novel subject mattlon being accomplished by reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view showing the improved agitator or rubbing member inf l. corporated in a washing machine.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the agitator or rubbing member.y i

Figure 3 is a vertical section partly in elevation showing a diierent form of construction.

The improved rubbing member or agitator A is shown centrally mounted within a tub T in Fig. l, said utub having a bowl-like bottom B. In Fig'. 3, a similar agitator A' is shown mounted within a tub T' having a iiat bottom B. The structural characteristics of the two agitators A and A' are so similar that one description will suiilce, plus an explanation of the differences.

I have shown a tubular post P secured to the bottom of the tub and extending upwardly therefrom, said post having internal bearings P for a vertical shaft S to be oscillated by any conventional mechanism, a portion of which is illusend of the shaft S has a splinded or other detachable connection D with a sleeve 6 forming part of the agitator, the upper -end of said sleeve,` being closed at 6. The lower end of the sleeve 6 has a tightly pressed splined or other connection 1 with the hub 8 of the agitator. said hub being preferably of conical form. This hub may well be provided with an internal bearing collar I which rotatably surrounds the lower portion of the tubular post P, assisting in the articles being y vided with a small number of openings I3 which are merely draint'openings to drain the disk when the tub is drained. The disk. Il is of bowl-shape and its side wall Il is continuous, said side wall being inclined upwardly and outwardly from the 'central disk `portion I2. This wall I4 is provided with a myriad of small perforations I5, the upper ends of which are eountersunk, the perforated wall thus forming a gentle, yet positive rubbing 'surface for. the clothes. Under the wall I4, I

g provide a plurality of radially disposed paddles ticles against the rubbing surface, thereby efl fectively loosening all ture.

I6 which are secured to said wall and have upwardly and outwardly curved lower edges i1 which, when the agitator is-used in a bowl-like tub as in Fig. 1, conform to the tub bottom curva- 'Ihe paddles Ii6 centrifugally move the .wash water as the agitator is oscillated, and the water and clothes circulate as indicated by the arrows'.` When the agitator is used in a flat-bot- '.bottom of the ltub lat is provided with a. relatively imperforatevcentrai portion I2 `which portion,

however, is proltomed tub, a substantially imperforate rim I8 (Fig. 3) is disposed under the perforated wall I4 and the paddles I6 and is :suitably secured to thel'disk II, preferably forming a one'piece structure with said paddles and disk. The rim I8 hasfits outer portion curved vor inclined outwardly and upwardly to direct the water as indicated by the arrows. Y

When the tub is lled with water and clothes and the rubbing bowl or agitator A or A' is set in motion, the paddles It will expel the water in a lateral direction, causing the water to ilow through the perforations I5 in the wall Il, from the inside to `the outside, and this flow is converted to an upward movement as indicated by the arrows. The water which' returns to the. the central portion, causes the clothes to flow toward the perforated wall Il and whenv the clothes reach this wall, the free flow of water through the perforations is stopped anda vacuum is developed on the outer side,

sure. Due to the buoyancy and weight o f the clothes and water, the clothes are not set into motion immediately with starting of the agitator or bowl in either direction, causing the latter to rub gently. against-the clothes to loosen dirt. the rubbing bowl or agitator, a centrifugal force or pressure is additionally applied to press the clothes gently against the perforated wall I4, due to the lateralilow of the'water at'right angles to the axis of the agitator or the like. 'I'hus the clothes are forced to move outwardly and .upwardly over As the clothes accelerate in speed with Y the perforated wall I4 andA Vare'circulated with the water which returns. to

the bottom of the tub at th'e center thereof, effectively loosening all dirt and rinsing same :trom the clothes.

The machine operates on what I term a lateral ilow vacuum and inertia pressure having the following advantages-providing more room in the tub for a larger amount of clothes; forcing the now of water through the fabric of the clothes by the inertia pressure of water and vacuuni; rubbing the fabric over the perforated wall of the rubbing bowl or agitator to loosen dirt while water flows through the fabric to wash out the dirt; eiectively applying a strong, yet harmless washing operation to frail fabrics; and washing clothes cleaner in a relatively short time andwithout injury.

As excellent results have been obtained from the construction shown, it is preferably followed. However, within the scope of the invention as claimed, variations may be made. l

While my pending U. S. application Serial No. 303,264, filed November 7, 1939, discloses a structure somewhat similar to that herein disclosed, no claim is herein made overlapping said application Serial No. 303,264.

`I claim:

l. In a clothes washing machine, a tub .to contain wash water and clothes, a shallow bowl-like disk in said tub mounted for oscillation on a vertical axis, said disk being provided with a substantially iiat central portion of circular outline, and also having a circular outwardly inclined peripheral portion of uniform i inclination throughout its circumference to 'upwardly direct th'e wash water and clothes when they are moved radially, said inclined peripheral portion having perforations through which some of the radially moved wash water may flow, and horizontally elongated paddles secured to and projecting downwardly from said perforated inclined peripheral portion and extending radially substantially throughout the width thereof,'whereby said paddles will centrifugally displace the wash water under said perforated inclined peripheral portion and thus cause water within the confines of said perforated inclined peripheral portion to flow radially through said perforations and press the clothes against said perforated inclined peripheral portion while this portion is directing water and clothes upwardly.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1; said paddles having lower edges which incline out- Wardly, said disk being provided with an additional outwardly inclined peripheral portion of circular outline secured to said lower edges of said paddles and inclined in the same manner as vsaid edges to upwardly direct th'e water which flows radially through said perforations of the aforesaid perforated inclined peripheral portion.

ROMAN B. BUKOLT. 

